Guiding device for cars of double-rail trains



u y 9, 1953 E. LAUBER 3,391,652

GUIDING DEVICE FOR C'ARS OF DOUBLE-RAIL TRAINS Filed April 9. 1965 INVENTOR Er uf/aabr United States Patent 3,391,652 GUIDING DEVICE FOR CARS OF DOUBLE-RAIL TRAINS Ernst Lauher, Thun, Switzerland, assignor to Maschinenfabrik Habegger, Thun, Switzerland Filed Apr. 9, 1965, Ser. No. 446,973 Claims priority, application Germany, Oct. 21, 1964,

4 Claims. (Cl. 104-247) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A guiding device for the cars of a double-rail train in which a plurality of guide rollers mounted on the cars rotatable about substantially vertical axes are arranged in a single line between the rails and each adapted to alternately engage with either rail.

The present invention relates to a guiding device for the cars of double-rail trains or the like.

In general, the cars of the usual double-rail trains and the like are supported on the rails in transverse directions by means of a lateral flange on each wheel. In order to prevent derailing of the cars in curves, the radius of curvature of the rails must in such curves be made of a considerable size. On the other hand, it is known in monorail trains that the rollers or wheels of the cars may be prevented from sliding laterally off the rail by providing the car with additional rollers which are rotatable about perpendicular axes and engage from opposite sides upon the central part of the rail.

It is an object of the present invention to provide guide means for the cars of double-rail trains or the like which are adapted to guide the cars very securely in lateral directions not only on a straight track, but also in curves and thus permit such a train to drive along curves which have a relatively small radius of curvature without any danger that any of its cars might derail.

For attaining this object, the invention provides that each car of a train or its undercarriage or bogie which is movable along the two rails is guided transversely by rollers which are located between the two rails and are rotatable about substantially perpendicular axes and adapted to engage upon the inner sides of the rails. Since the cars are movable along two rails, these guide means will take up at least to a considerable extent the transverse tilting and pitching forces which act upon the cars. Under certain circumstances, a single roller or a single row of rollers may sufiice which are located between the two rails and alternately engage upon the inner side of one rail or the other. If the rails are spaced at a greater distance from each other, it is, however, advisable to provide two rollers or rows of rollers, one of which engages upon the inner side of one rail and the other against the inner side of the other rail.

This arrangement of the rollers between the two rails has the further advantage that these rollers will be protected between the rails and do not take up any space outside of the rails.

For attaining the highest possible safety factor, it is, however, advisable to provide the cars or bogies with additional bracing rollers which engage upon the outside of both rails. Since each rail will then be acted upon by guide and bracing rollers at the inner and outer sides, a maximum in safety will be attained since all transversely acting forces will then be taken up as much as possible and these rollers will fully counteract any tendency of the cars to tilt over, especially when driving at high speeds along relatively sharp curves, However, if the two rails 3,391,652 Patented July 9, 1968 are spaced at a considerable distance from each other, it will inmost cases be sufiicient to provide only the guide rollers on the inner sides of the rails, while the additional bracing rollers on the outer sides of the rails may then be omitted.

The present invention is especially of advantage when applied to articulated chainlike trains in which the car bodies are supported on wheeled under carriages or bogies which are movable along the rails and each of which sup ports a pair of adjacent car bodies which are pivotably connected thereto. Each bogie preferably has a single wheel axle and it is preferably laterally supported by a guide roller and/or a bracing roller or a pair of guide rollers and/or bracing rollers in front of as well as behind the wheel axle.

The tread surface of each guide and/or bracing roller as well as each drive roller or wheel may be provided with a rubber tread or a pneumatic tire or other elastic element so as to render the operation of the train almost noiseless.

The features and advantages of the present invention will become more clearly apparent from the following detailed description thereof which is, to be read with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which- FIGURE 1 shows a cross section of a first embodiment of the invention which is taken along the line 11 of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 2 shows a longitudinal section which is taken along the line 22 of FIGURE 1; while FIGURE 3 shows, partly in cross section, a front view of a modification of the invention.

Referring first to FIGURES l and 2 of the drawings, the two rails 10 on which the train according to the invention is guided and supported may consist, for example, of U irons with outwardly directed flanges which are mounted, for example, on posts 11 at a suitable distance from the ground and from each other. The train according to the invention consists of undercarriages, for example, in the form of bogies 12, each of which is provided with a pair of wheels or rollers 13 which are rotatable on a common axle and are movable along the two rails 10. Each bogie 12 supports the adjacent ends of two car bodies 14 and is for this purpose provided with a bracket which projects toward the front and toward the rear of the wheels 13 and has on each end a pair of upper and lower lugs 16 and 17 between which a lug 18 is inserted which is secured to one of the two car bodies 14 and is pivotably connected to the lugs 16 and 17 by a pivot pin 15. For taking up the perpendicular forces, the lugs 18 on the car bodies 14 may be directly or indirectly supported on the lower lugs 17 on the bogie 12. If desired, it is also possible to provide a universal joint between each car body 14 and the bogie 12, for example, a ball-andsocket joint, a rubber joint or the like.

The pivot pins 15 which are disposed within the central vertical longitudinal plane of each car and bogie and also centrally between the rails 10 are extended through the lower lugs 17 on each bogie 12, and. these extensions serve as means for rotatably mounting a pair of guide rollers 19 which engage between the two rails 10 and have each a diameter slightly smaller than the distance between the rails 10. Each of these guide rollers 19 therefore has a small amount of play between the rails so as to be able to engage with and run along one or the other rail 10. Rollers 19 may each be provided with a rubber tread 20 or with a pneumatic tire or the like so as to roll along the rails 10 without noise. The same preferably also applies to the wheels 13, each of which may be likewise provided with a rubber tread 21 or a pneumatic tire or the like.

The Wheels 13, preferably of each bogie 12, are driven by an electric motor 22 through'a reduction gear 23, and they may be connected to each other by a differential gearing 24. 4

Each bogie 12 is further braced laterally on the rails by means of bracing rollers which are rotatable about vertical axes and are mounted on bearing elements 26 which project downwardly from the gear case or wheel housing 27. These bracing rollers 25 are likewise provided with rubber treads 2 8 or with pneumatic tires and they engage upon the vertical outer surfaces of rails 1t FIGURE 3 illustrates a modification of the invention, in which the car 29 runs directly on the rails 30 which have a double-T-shaped cross section and are spaced from each other at a relatively large distance which may, for example, correspond substantially to the standard rail gauge. The wheels 32 which are spaced accordingly and are also provided with a rubber tread 31 or the like are mounted on and separated by the gear case 33 and may be driven, for example, by a motor 34 which extends in the longitudinal direction of the car and may be flanged to the gear case 33.

On its lower side the gear case 33 is further provided with bearing brackets 36 which may be provided, for example, with tubular longitudinal extensions 37 in which guide or bracing rollers are mounted underneath the wheels 32 and preferably in a position in front and/or at the rear of these wheels. These bracing rollers which may again be provided with a rubber tread 38 or the like engage upon the inner vertical surfaces of both rails 30.

Of course, each drive unit including the wheels and the guide or bracing rollers may also in this Case form a separate bogie on which the ends of two car bodies are pivotably mounted and supported in a suitable manner. In both embodiments of the invention as shown in FIG- URES 1 to 3 it is also possible to connect each bogie to one car body either rigidly or by means of a joint which only permits the car body to pivot relative to the bogie about a vertical axis so that there is no danger of any lateral tilting of the car body relative to the bogie, while the other car body which is also supported on the same bogie may then be connected thereto by another suitable type of articulated joint, preferably a universal joint, which may consist, for example, of rubber elements or the like.

Although my invention has been illustrated and described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, I wish to have it understood that it is in no way limited to the details of such embodiments but is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully disclosed my invention, what I claim 1. A guide device for cars of a double-railed train in which two adjacent cars of said train comprise a bogie having a single axle with a pair of wheels thereon and two car bodies each supported at one end on said bogie, and a pair ofv pivot means having each substantially vertical axis located in the vertical longitudinal plane of symmetry of said pair of rails, and respectively pivotally connecting each car body to a respective one of the opposite ends of said bogie, each of said pivot means having a lower end; and a pair of guide rollers respectively mounted on said lower ends of said pivot means rotatable about the respective vertical axis, each of said guide rollers having a diameter slightly smaller than the distance between the inner sides of said rails so as to be adapted to engage at diametrically opposite points with one or the other of said rails, whereby said guide rollers may freely turn during movement of the train.

2. A guiding device as defined in claim 1, and including a pair of bracing rollers mounted on said bogie rotatable about substantially vertical axes located in one plane with said single axle.

3. A guiding device as defined in claim 2, wherein said bracing rollers are arranged displaced in axial direction with respect to said guide rollers.

4. A guiding device for the cars of a double-rail train comprising, in combination, a plurality of guide rollers mounted on said cars rotatable about substantially vertical axes and disposed between the two rails so as to be adapted to engage the latter on the inner sides thereof; and a plurality of bracing rollers mounted on said cars rotatable about substantially vertical axes and disposed on the outside of said two rails so as to be adapted to engage upon the outer sides of said two rails, said bracing rollers are arranged axially displaced with respect to said guide rollers.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 712,578 11/1902 Newsom 104-247 785,163 3/1905 Godman 104247 3,098,454 7/1963 Maestrelli l04247 3,234,891 2/1966 Hampton 104247 3,195,474 7/1965 Dehne l04-172 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

D. F. WORTH, Assistant Examiner. 

